WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today delivered remarks from the Senate floor about the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and the need for the United States to stop accommodating Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government – which has repeatedly repudiated Democratic and Republican administrations and the U.S. Congress. To view a livestream of the Senator’s remarks, please click the image below:
Excerpts of his remarks are included below:
“We must face the contradiction of what we are doing. We are airdropping food to famine-stricken Gaza today and supplying bombs for Israel to drop on devastated Gaza tomorrow.
“How many times do we have to be repudiated by Prime Minister Netanyahu? On the use of indiscriminate force; On the recklessness of expanding West Bank settlements; On impeding the delivery of aid; On advocating an endless Israeli post conflict occupation of Gaza.
“How long and how often will Prime Minister Netanyahu reject our policies but take our money before we say: Enough.
“How many more than the 30,000 Palestinians already killed and the 70,000 wounded before we say to Prime Minister Netanyahu: Enough.
“How many more homes and shops and schools and child-care centers and hospitals must be destroyed before we say to Prime Minister Netanyahu: Enough…
“It has been said many times before: U.S. aid is not a blank check. When it comes to the Netanyahu government, it has, for many years and across Democratic and Republican administrations, been a blank check.
“It’s long past time for the United States to stop supporting, by commission and omission, actions that are inconsistent with our principles and our policies and which make peace between Israelis and Palestinians ever more elusive, ever more difficult to achieve.”
Senator Welch’s full remarks can be read here.
Senator Welch has been outspoken about the bombing campaign, loss of civilian life, and humanitarian crisis in Gaza since the early days of the conflict. In November, he called for an indefinite ceasefire to stop the bombing, prevent further loss of civilian life, extend access to humanitarian relief to those who had been displaced, and continue negotiations to secure hostages.
Last week, Senator Welch led Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in sending a letter to Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, on the imperative of urgently providing adequate humanitarian aid in Gaza. The letter highlights specific steps that Amb. Herzog and the Israeli government should take to ensure that sufficient aid reaches Palestinians and to protect aid workers.
In February, Senator Welch joined his colleagues in celebrating the White House’s announcement of a new National Security Memorandum (NSM), which was developed following the release of an amendment introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), which ensures U.S. security assistance is used in accordance with international law and builds on the longstanding human rights Leahy Law, crafted by Sen. Welch’s predecessor Sen. Patrick Leahy.
Senator Welch took to the Senate Floor after voting against the National Security Supplemental Package to expand on why he could not support sending billions of taxpayer dollars to fund Netanyahu’s disastrous military campaign in Gaza, which has killed thousands of civilians, created a massive humanitarian crisis and is increasingly destabilizing the region.
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